Adhesive properties of common type-1 bactreial fimbriae

The aim of this project was to investigate the nature, number and distribution of type-1 fimbrial agglutinins and their reaction with receptors on horse erythrocytes. Optimal synthesis of fimbriae in Escherichia coli NCTC 8623, serotype 0125, occurred under conditions identical to those described by Duguid et al. (1955), i.e. 48 h static, shallow nutrient broth cultures. The fimbriae prepared from such cultures agglutinated horse erythrocytes, Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCYC 366 and cell walls prepared from this strain. A method for recovery of isolated fimbriae from dilute solutions utilising their affinity for whole fixed yeast cells is described. Adsorbed fimbriae were eluted with alpha-methyl mannoside but under the conditions described no longer exhibited haemagglutinating activity. A range of saccharides was examined for ability to inhibit agglutination between whole bacteria or isolated fimbriae and HRBCs. The most potent of the inhibitors tested was alpha-methyl mannoside, inhibiting the reaction at 5.5 x 10